Chapter 119 - 77: The Celestial Pillar Where a Hundred Mountains Converge (Part 2)

Chapter 119: Chapter 77: The Celestial Pillar Where a Hundred Mountains Converge (Part 2)

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Meanwhile, Li Changfeng traveled up the great river. At first, the lands on both banks were still under the jurisdiction of the Tai Su Sect. But upon entering the Central Plains, he felt as if the world itself had changed. It wasn’t just the mortals on the shores; even the Demon Kings who ruled the waters and the spirits who styled themselves as River Gods all revered the Supreme Profound Decree.

After going ashore, Li Changfeng found that in every kingdom and city he passed through, the primary place of worship was the Upper Xuan Daoist Temple. Only secondary to it were the minor sects and factions subordinate to the Upper Profound Orthodox Sect, which were entrenched in their own territories. Li Changfeng wandered through several such places, even witnessing some of the struggles and schemes between Loose Cultivators, before he finally found a large Immortal City. There, he was able to use a Teleportation Array to travel deeper into the Central Plains.

The deeper he ventured, the more the Upper Profound Sect’s influence on the Central Plains revealed itself in every facet of life. As he drew near the foot of the Celestial Pillar, Li Changfeng was startled to realize that this nation, called the Xuan Dynasty, was practically an Immortal Dynasty. While not everyone practiced cultivation, every household was intimately familiar with it and held it in high esteem.

Ordinary mortals lived lives blessed by the Daoist arts, enjoying peace and prosperity. Cultivators moved about openly in the cities, even holding positions of great respect. The Xuan Dynasty’s royal family, it turned out, were all devout followers of the Upper Profound Sect. He heard that only a Prince who had studied cultivation within the Upper Profound Sect was qualified to be named Crown Prince.

Within a great city of the Xuan Dynasty, Li Changfeng boarded a Cloud Boat bound for the Celestial Pillar. After five or six days, he heard the boatman call out, "Brother Li, we’re almost there!"

Li Changfeng called back in acknowledgment and hurried onto the deck. A single glance into the distance left him utterly stunned.

The Cloud Boat was descending toward a magnificent, sprawling city, but that was hardly worth mentioning. What Li Changfeng stared at was Celestial Pillar Mountain, known as the Central Pillar of Shenzhou, where the gates of the Upper Profound Orthodox Sect were located.

He saw countless, continuous mountain ranges converging into eight great ridges, naturally arrayed like the eight trigrams, all arching protectively toward the Celestial Pillar at the very center. Celestial Pillar Mountain was well-deserving of its title as the Central Pillar of Shenzhou. Its base alone likely spanned over a thousand miles. What couldn’t even be considered its midpoint was already high above, vanishing into the clouds. The word ’majestic’ could not describe even a ten-thousandth of its grandeur; it simply stood as if propping up heaven and earth, an eternal pillar that had existed since time immemorial.

"Truly... ’The pillar that props up the heavens where a hundred mountains converge; the root of the earth, unmoving through ten thousand calamities.’"

The boatman heard Li Changfeng muttering to himself and smiled with vicarious pride. "Brother Li, we’ll be at the Immortal City shortly. It isn’t the season when the Upper Profound Immortal Sect opens its gates to new disciples, but you can still look around the city. Who knows, you might be noticed by one of the Immortal Family from the sect and accepted as a disciple! If not, you can at least broaden your horizons..."

Li Changfeng smiled and shook his head. "Thank you, boatman, but this is as far as I need to go."

With that, he leaped from the Cloud Boat. A streak of sword light flared to life beneath him, carrying him straight toward the Celestial Pillar.

The boatman cried out in alarm, then shouted urgently, "Brother Li, you can’t just trespass on the Celestial Pillar...!"

Li Changfeng was already too far to hear him. He rode his sword light over the vast mountain ranges, heading directly for the Celestial Pillar. ’Just where is the real entrance to the Upper Profound Sect?’ he wondered.

Suddenly, the sharp cry of a crane pierced the air, followed by a cold shout from above. "Halt! Who are you? For what reason do you trespass on the Celestial Pillar?"

Li Changfeng looked up to see two disciples in the Daoist Robes of the Upper Profound Sect, astride immortal cranes, gazing down at him. When he didn’t answer immediately, one of them grew impatient, raising a Magical Artifact shaped like a replica of the All Heavens Divine Thunder Mirror.

Li Changfeng halted his flight, straightened his robes, and clasped his hands in a formal salute. "I am Li Changfeng, a Tai Su Disciple. I have come to deliver a letter on my master’s orders."

"A member of the Tai Su Sect?" The two Upper Profound disciples exchanged a look. They descended, each offering a salute in return. "Fellow Daoist, if you are from the Tai Su Sect, do you have proof? And on whose orders do you come to deliver a letter, and to whom is it for?"

Li Changfeng smiled faintly and revealed a Tai Su Token in his palm, handing it to them for inspection. As the two were carefully examining its details, Li Changfeng continued, "My master is a Tai Su True Inheritance, Daoist Master Miaomiao. She has ordered me to deliver a letter to your sect’s own True Inheritance disciple, Senior Zhong Shenxiu."

"Daoist Master Miaomiao?" One of the disciples was mulling over the name. But when he heard the letter was for Zhong Shenxiu, he started in shock and cried out, "Xuzhuang... Master Xuzhuang!"

"What!" The disciple holding Li Changfeng’s Token gasped. "So he really came!"

Li Changfeng’s eyebrow twitched. ’What do they mean, "so he really came"?’ he thought, puzzled.

The two disciples hurriedly returned the Token to Li Changfeng. One of them said to the other, "Junior Brother, you take him to the sect to rest for a while. I’ll go report this immediately!" With that, he spurred his immortal crane and soared high into the heavens.

The remaining disciple put on a faint smile. "Brother Li, please follow me."

Li Changfeng nodded silently, and the two of them flew up the Celestial Pillar. Upon reaching the mountainside, they saw a towering mountain gate. Inscribed upon it were three simple, large words: Upper Profound Sect!

Li Changfeng merely glanced at them and was immediately struck by a wave of dizziness, nearly stumbling. Fortunately, Lieyun steadied him from within his sleeve, saving him from embarrassment.

Lieyun’s voice transmitted quietly, "That was written by a Great Power Cultivator. Do not focus your gaze upon it."

Li Changfeng composed himself. Without replying to Lieyun, he silently waited for a few breaths. Sure enough, his senses stabilized, and he returned to normal. He offered the guiding disciple a faint smile and asked, "Brother, why have we stopped walking?"

The Upper Profound disciple, surprised that Li Changfeng had only seemed to waver for a moment, quickly said, "This way, Brother."

He led Li Changfeng through the mountain gate. Beyond it lay a long, winding path, completely shrouded in mist. They had not walked for long, however, when the mist began to part. Li Changfeng’s vision suddenly expanded. There, amidst the sea of clouds, were suspended corridors built around the Central Pillar, connecting in every direction to innumerable floating palaces, pavilions, pagodas, and Jade Platforms.

Countless Upper Profound disciples bustled about. Some rode immortal cranes while others flew past as streaks of light.

The higher he looked, the more solemn and magnificent the structures became, shimmering with treasured light and colored glaze. They also grew more sparse. At the edge of his vision, Li Changfeng could see that the distance between two Daoist Temples was already several miles, yet the summit of the Celestial Pillar remained unseen, probing ever higher into the clouds above.

Though not as stunned as before, Li Changfeng was still secretly amazed by this sect’s layout, so starkly different from that of the Tai Su Sect. Led by the disciple, he was brought to a side hall to wait.

A Daoist Child served him a cup of Spirit Tea. Before Li Changfeng could even take a sip, the Upper Profound Sect disciple suddenly asked, "Fellow Daoist Li, there is something I’d like to ask, if I may be so bold."

Li Changfeng looked at him with curiosity. "Please, go ahead, Fellow Daoist."

The disciple asked, "Are you truly here on your master’s behalf to deliver a written challenge to our Junior Martial Uncle Zhong?"

Li Changfeng was taken aback. "Why would you say that, Fellow Daoist?"

The disciple replied, "Word of it has already spread throughout the entire Upper Profound Sect..."

Just as Li Changfeng furrowed his brow in thought, a commotion erupted outside. It sounded like a brief argument, and then a large group of people stormed into the hall. The one in the lead bellowed, "Where is Li Changfeng of the Tai Su Sect?"

Li Changfeng’s brow tightened. He slowly rose to his feet. "I am Li Changfeng. And who might you be, Fellow Daoist?"

The man sized Li Changfeng up, then offered a formal salute. "Fellow Daoist Li, I hear you are a disciple of Daoist Master Miaomiao from the Tai Su Sect. Your cultivation must be quite profound. I would like to request some pointers from you."

Li Changfeng replied coolly, "Shouldn’t you introduce yourself first, Fellow Daoist?"

The man snorted. "I am just an ordinary Inner Sect Disciple of the Upper Profound Sect. I have long admired Junior Martial Uncle Zhong. I hear that your Daoist Master Miaomiao possesses Divine Techniques on par with his, and of course, I wouldn’t dare to doubt that. However, I’d like to see for myself if you possess even a fraction of your master’s skill."

Li Changfeng said, "If you wish to ’request pointers,’ I have no reason to refuse. But after you’ve had your turn, which of these other Fellow Daoists will be next? What would become of proper decorum? I came to the Upper Profound Sect on my master’s orders to deliver a letter, not to start a fight. I’m afraid I must disappoint you."

The man’s brow furrowed. In a low voice, he said, "You have my word, Fellow Daoist. If I am defeated, none of my martial brothers here will disturb you further. That much, at least, I can guarantee."

Since it had come to this, Li Changfeng knew there was no way out. He let out a slow breath and nodded. "Very well! In that case, let me witness your skills, Fellow Daoist."